Jordan Pickford ‘can’t believe’ it as Leicester man slammed for what he did vs Everton by Sky Sports pundit
Alan Smith blasted James Maddison’s penalty miss against Everton as “awful” and suggested the occasion might have got to the Leicester star.
The England midfielder had a chance to arguably put the game out of sight from the spot in first-half injury time, with his side already leading 2-1, but clipped a tame effort down the middle which international teammate Jordan Pickford “couldn’t believe his luck” with.
The Three Lions keeper’s water bottle showed stats from a club analyst suggesting the percentage play was not to move, and so it proved, as the Toffees equalised soon after the break to ultimately draw 2-2 with Pickford telling Sky Sports afterwards: “Madders needs to learn his lesson”.
Reacting to the simple save live on Sky Sports (1 May, 8.55pm) commentator Pien Meulensteen said: “Well there is still hope for Everton. Wow.”
Smith added: “He can’t believe his luck, Pickford, really. I don’t think James Maddison has taken a worse penalty than that in his career, maybe the occasion just getting to him. Straight down the barrel, awful pen.”
And Meulensteen rounded up, saying: “Well James Maddison will be hoping he doesn’t come to regret that penalty miss.”
Turning point
It wasn’t the spark for Everton to go on and pick up what would have been a crucial win, and while a point isn’t especially helpful it is certainly better than a demoralising defeat to a relegation rival.
Had Sean Dyche’s side come in at the break 3-1 down having just passed up the chance to equalise through Dominic Calvert-Lewin, only to concede themselves and lose their captain to a serious injury, it isn’t hard to imagine this team wilting.
But Seamus Coleman was still whipping up the fans as he was stretchered off and Pickford rescued Michael Keane’s blushes to keep his side in it.
Alex Iwobi redeemed an error-strewn first half to level shortly after the break, but Daniel Iversen kept everything else out as both sides missed an opportunity to take the pressure off, but avoided further gloom setting in.
Calvert-Lewin also went down the middle with a penalty he won in a sparkling early spell but fired it high and hard to give Iversen no chance, but Maddison’s effort was far more tentative.
The neutrals enjoyed the game and the Everton fans will have appreciated seeing some fight from the players after a lack of it in recent weeks, but the pressure is very much still on heading into the final games, with turmoil at Leeds United possibly key between now and the end of the month.